Abortion-coercion bill gets plenty of debate – no vote in Senate

The Senate debates SB 264 – a controversial abortion-related bill that would modify the informed consent requirements for an abortion by adding new requirements to be obtained at least twenty-four hours prior to an abortion.

Among the new requirements – one that would make the woman aware of various new printed materials and videos from the Department of Health. These new materials would, among other things, detail the risks of an abortion. The legislation would also require that prior to an abortion being performed past twenty-two weeks gestational age, the woman must be provided with information regarding the possibility of the abortion causing pain to the unborn child.

Coercion is another main feature of this legislation, as materials presented to the woman would be required to prominently display a statement that no one can coerce the woman to have an abortion and that it is against the law for a husband, a boyfriend, a parent, a friend, a medical care provider, or any other person to coerce her in any way to have an abortion.

The debate went on for more than five hours before the bill was set aside without a vote.A House version of the legislation – HB 46 – has cleared that chamber.